


Boardwalks/Whiteboards

by ofmay



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teachers, M/M, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-04-10 18:23:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4402439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofmay/pseuds/ofmay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gerard didn't get out much. Everybody knew that. It wasn't that he couldn't - no, that wasn't the case at all - he simply didn't feel the need to socialise, especially since the school year would be starting in almost a month. He had far too much to worry about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Boardwalks/Whiteboards

**Author's Note:**

> written for prompt #48 from frerardhub.tumblr.com  
> all mistakes are mine

"The cheapest tickets I can find are almost five hundred dollars, Mikey…" Gerard mumbled wearily.   
  
He could practically hear Mikey's eye roll through the phone. "Gerard, you have been living on your own for nine years and have had no one but yourself to provide for since then. I'm sure you can afford it."   
  
"But-"  
  
"Really, you work too hard, Gee," Mikey reasoned. "You work from August to May and then spend the entire summer writing up your next syllabus." Gerard could hear Mikey shift in his position on his couch, where he most likely was sitting. "Think about it, a whole week away from all of Jersey's grogginess and your teaching concerns for the better."  
  
Gerard fiddled with the hem of his shirt, fighting himself in his mind. "But if I do go, then when I come back I'll have so much work to catch up on after putting it all off like that," he said hurriedly while he nibbled on the ends of his fingernails, a bad habit he dealt with whenever his nerves got the best of him.   
  
"Come on," Mikey practically urged. "You won't get behind on your work, I know you won't. And even if you do, you'll make time for yourself to finish it. Seriously, you're always so stiff when I see you, you need to get out and see the world. Find love, take new chances."   
  
Gerard chuckled. "You sound like a vacation brochure."  
  
"I am a vacation brochure," Mikey confirmed. "Just go. Long Beach, five days, other side of the country. You'll have a great time."   
  
Gerard bit his lip uncertainly. "Are you sure you can't come with me?"   
  
"Yes, I'm sure. Alicia and I are gonna be house-hunting for the next month or so, you know, because both of our apartments are too small for either of us to live together in."   
  
'Because I go out and get a wife and live my life,' was what Mikey really meant to say, Gerard knew.   
  
"Okay, okay. I'll go. But only five days, right? Any longer and I'll start slacking off on all the schoolwork I have to start planning-"  
  
"And have fun! Send postcards," Mikey said hurriedly, hanging up before Gerard could change his mind.   
***  
Gerard didn't get out much. Everybody knew that. It wasn't that he couldn't - no, that wasn't the case at all - he simply didn't feel the need to socialise, especially since the school year would be starting in almost a month. He had far too much to worry about.   
  
And what was that Mikey had said about him acting "stiff?" Untrue. Either way, Mikey would be stiff too if he was under so much pressure all the time.   
  
If Gerard was honest, it wasn't just the fact that he had work to do before the school year started. Getting on a plane and flying to the other side of the county was a practically frightening thought. He wouldn't know anyone there, wouldn't know how to act, or who to ask for directions, or anything. He'd get lost easily and end up walking around all night searching for his hotel room. It wasn't a good idea, and he wasn't cut out for it, but there he was at the airport in Newark, standing in line to get his bags checked.   
  
The way the other people were dressed in sweaters and loose jeans made him feel more comfortable, as though he was going home and not to the other side of the country. Yes, he could imagine himself sitting on his couch in a pair of fuzzy pajamas with a cup of coffee, watching old horror movies on his television.   
  
Except he wasn't, he was emptying his pockets of loose change and placing them in the little plastic container to he scanned. If only Mikey were there, if only he were at home, if only…  
  
Gerard walked safely under the metal detector (thank God the hunting knife he imagined he had on him didn't exist). He shoved all of his things back into his pockets and slung his carry-on over his shoulder. He had a round trip to Washington and back, terminal 2E at eleven o'clock. He read over the details on his ticket over and over as he made his way up to the second floor. According to the clock, he had one hour until eleven.   
  
Terminal 2E was already packed with people when Gerard arrived. After quickly checking his watch, he decided that he'd have enough time to grab a bite to eat at the small cafe nearby the seating area. He heard that they'd be served lunch on the plane, but didn't trust it too well. He'd eaten plane food before, and it usually ended up being a styrofoam box with a slab of mystery meat in brown sauce, some dry mashed potatoes and carrots, and maybe a cup of moldy pudding if they were lucky. Completely unappetizing. No, but the cafe had long subs with turkey and slices of mozzarella cheese and lettuce. Fancy bottles of water whose brand names Gerard couldn't pronounce.   
  
He thought about calling Mikey a considerable amount of times but ultimately decided against it. He'd bothered Mikey enough about all of it, begging for confidence and motivation to go on this stupid vacation. It wasn't Mikey's fault that he actually went out and lived his life, unlike Gerard who'd been teaching obnoxious high schoolers art for six years.   
  
Six long years of buying paint brush after paint brush when his students didn't wash his old ones, causing them to dry up and become useless. Six long years of scraping slabs of clay off the walls after his students got into clay throwing fights when he wasn't looking. Six long years of stocking up on his colored pencil supply because his students seemed to enjoy snapping all of them. Six long years of snaking the sinks after his students tried to wash paint down them without using hot water. Six long years, and not one real vacation that he could remember. Maybe he could count that time he stayed at his parents' for a week during he summer a few years ago, but that was mainly to nurse his sick father and he'd spent the entire time sitting and watching his father's sleeping habits anyway, so maybe that didn't count.   
  
And it wasn't that Gerard's students were undesirable. They were a huge group of sweet, playful kids, every single year. Sure, they could get plenty rowdy, but Gerard wouldn't have it any other way. It was what he was used to.   
  
Gerard was in line after a young child to board. The boy in front of him was playing with a pair of action figures, making appropriate sound effects and waving the figures around everywhere. It made Gerard smile. When the kid reached the place where the woman who was taking the tickets stood, she leaned down and smiled a gigantic, white toothed smile at him.   
  
"Hello Sweetheart, do you want to put those in your bag so you can board the plane?" she asked in a singsong voice.   
  
The kid threw a fit after what she said. He screamed that the city had to be saved soon or else the villains would take over. It took a few minutes until the woman walked the sobbing little boy onto the plane herself. She returned a little while later, smoothing her skirt and apologising for keeping Gerard waiting.   
  
"Oh, I don't mind," Gerard assured, handing the lady his ticket.   
  
When Gerard was all situated, the woman wished him a good flight and butterflies erupted in his stomach as he walked out to the plane. He had flown before for high school trips, but never by himself, and he'd graduated high school nine years earlier anyway. The flight would last five hours, so as he sat down in his seat after jamming his carry-on into the overhead, he realised that he had a bit of time to kill.   
***  
Gerard was in a bit of a daze as he finally laid down to rest on the bed in his Long Beach hotel room. The flight had ended up taking closer to six consecutive hours so it should've been five o'clock, except he had gained three extra hours during his travels, or was he losing hours? He didn't really know how to put it, only that his body told him to take a walk in the warm glow of the day's end outside when in reality the sun still hung high in the sky.   
  
Seattle was hell, even though Gerard had only been in the city for an hour at most. Long Beach was another hour taxi ride, added to a good chunk of time to get a hotel room situated. Gerard guessed he had forgotten to book one in advance, but it didn't matter. He didn't want to take a walk, he wanted to sleep the next five days away.   
  
At the beginning of the summer, Gerard had taken a trip up to visit Mikey where he lived in Newark, and apparently he had appeared "out of it" to Mikey, because as soon as he left he began getting phone call after phone call from Mikey, urging Gerard to loosen up a bit and suggesting ways to do so. One of the most occurring ones that came from Mikey's suggestions was a nice, long vacation far away.   
  
Long Beach Boardwalk hadn't been Mikey's idea. Apparently Alicia had been there before and thought it would be the perfect way to "unwind after a long, hard school year."   
  
Gerard had gotten defensive the first time he heard that, but as he was slowly treading down said boardwalk the day after his arrival, he couldn't help but agree slightly. The sun wasn't beating down on his back and the clouds swirled above him, and it was still nice and warm, a slight breeze topping off the perfect weather.   
  
It seemed too good to be true until Gerard began making his way down the actual boardwalk. Sure, the weather made him want to take off his jacket and bask in the glory of the warm morning, but he couldn't. There were other people on the boardwalk.   
  
_Of course there are other people on the boardwalk_ , Gerard thought to himself angrily, _why wouldn't there be?_  He would've been stupid to think otherwise.   
  
He kept his head down and focused his gaze on the small bits of walkway he could see from his eyes' positions. He walked as slowly as could, mainly to make the experience last as long as possible but also to avoid bumping into anyone. If someone was walking straight toward him at least they'd have a long enough time to realise and move in a different direction. Maybe Mikey was right about his brother being a bit antisocial.   
  
Every now and then there were staircases and sections that branched down or off of the boardwalk and toward the beach. Gerard stared wistfully at the bright beach below where hundreds of little kids raced around, hair sopping wet, building castles in the heat of the July afternoon. Maybe he'd go down there when the crowd had thinned out.   
  
After a while, maybe a few hours, maybe twenty minutes, he couldn't tell, he reached the first set of stores and restaurants, which were barely visible as they stood clumped together, far off in the direction away from the beach. Gerard decided that if he was going to have a somewhat enjoyable vacation, he may as well see what the local culture had to offer.   
  
He walked from the trail to a busy road whose street sign read, "Pacific Way." The first store to the right of the street that Gerard saw was a gift shop of sorts. They were selling rings and necklaces adorned with large beads in pearly white and aqua blue. There were polished conch shells lines up along the tops of shelves, red plastic sand buckets shaped like castles, boxes of homemade fudge, and rack after rack of postcards. Gerard glanced over the cards and gave up deciding on one to send to Mikey, as each was graced with beach photos more beautiful than the next. In the end he bought a fishnet bag of tiny, petrified baby starfish. He guessed they were artificial, but they were pretty nonetheless. The smiling lady at the counter made him feel intimidated.   
  
He slipped the bag into his pocket as he exited the shop before looking in every direction at the pastel restaurants that stretched on for a while. He didn't know the time but estimated it to be about one PM, so maybe a bite to eat wouldn't hurt.   
  
A quaint little restaurant called 'Anita's Costal Café' caught his eye as he treaded a bit west down a street that turned away from the main road. He stepped inside and was immediately greeted by a warm smell, and it was delicious, like stew and apple pie. Gerard sat down at a single table next to the window, overlooking the busy street of Bay Avenue. The restaurant was lively with the busy chatter of people and bustle of waitresses carrying plates in and out of the kitchen. There were eye catching quilts and paintings hung up on the walls, adding to the atmosphere.   
  
A smiling waitress with graying hair took Gerard's order, and brought back a cup of coffee that he sipped from absentmindedly, staring out the window. The day outside was so lovely, and it was such a strange experience after having spent his entire life in Jersey.   
  
"Nice day outside, isn't it?"   
  
Gerard jumped slightly, turning to his left to see a man sitting alone, also sipping from a cup of coffee. Gerard swallowed thickly, throat suddenly going dry. However gorgeous the weather was outside, this guy was much more beautiful. His eyes sparkled brighter than the ocean.   
  
"Uh, y-yeah," Gerard mumbled in reply.   
  
In one swift motion, the guy slid into the seat across from Gerard's, bringing his cup along with him.   
  
"Of course, I've been here for a month already, so it's quite easy to get used to such luxurious days. I'm Frank." He held out his hand across the table.   
  
"Gerard," Gerard replied meekly, reaching out and shaking Frank's hand, which was soft and warm. "What have you been doing down here for a month, then?" he wondered aloud, biting his lip soon afterwards.   
  
"Oh, I've just been visiting a friend. What have you been up to, or are you a local?"   
  
"My brother bullied me into vacationing here." Gerard said the words before he could think them over and punched himself in his mind after realising how childish that sounded.   
  
Frank laughed a small, restrained laugh, as if he found Gerard funny but didn't want to embarrass him. "Well, be glad he suggested here, it's so lovely all the time."  
  
As if coincidentally, the waitresses brought Gerard and Frank their plates at the same time.   
  
"So have you been to the boardwalk yet?" Frank asked, dipping a carrot into his French dressing.   
  
"Yeah, I had a nice walk there this morning and somehow ended up here," Gerard replied.   
  
When he glanced up from his plate, Frank was watching him with a small smile but quickly averted his gaze.   
  
"How was the beach looking this morning?" Frank poked at his salad with his fork uninterestedly, smiling at Gerard as though he didn't want anything else.   
  
"It looked fine, I guess," Gerard shrugged. "I was thinking about going down there this evening when the crowd had thinned out. Do you go down there often?"   
  
Frank shook his head. "I haven't actually gone there once yet, I've been busy taking care of-" He paused, looking down at his untouched plate. "Well, yeah."   
  
"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to pry," Gerard said hurriedly.   
  
"No no, it's fine," Frank assured. "Anyway, how long have you been here in the Long Beach area?"   
  
"I just got here yesterday afternoon."   
  
"Really? You've got loads to see then! I mean, or so I've heard. Like I said I've…"  
  
"Yeah, I know."   
  
An awkward silence followed, in which Frank finally took a bite from his salad and Gerard continued to stare out the window.   
  
After a while, Frank and Gerard both spoke at the same time with, "Well anyway…," and "So do you…"   
  
They quickly looked up at each other and stuttered their apologies at the same time, and their eyes met before they both immediately blushed and chuckled awkwardly. Fortunately a nice waitress came by and offered to fill up their cups with coffee, and Frank asked for his bill.   
  
As they exited the café together, Frank and Gerard found themselves awkwardly standing together at the front, unsure of how to say their goodbyes and unsure if they even wanted to.   
  
"I uhm, I'll see- well, I don't know if I'll-" Frank cleared his throat. "Bye, Gerard."   
  
"Bye, Frank." Gerard smiled and blushed, waiting until Frank turned away before he followed suit.   
***  
Gerard's second day at Long Beach was far less impressive than his first. He had read about a couple museums and farms online and considered stopping by one or maybe even a couple, but he found himself back on Pacific Way by midday. It wasn't that Gerard was hoping to run into Frank again, he was just really hoping to run into Frank again.   
  
Anita's Costal Café didn't have his back that day. Frank was nowhere in sight as Gerard drank cup after cup of coffee, not really eating, only waiting and hoping. The waitress remembered his name though, which made Gerard feel sort of happy. At least he could count on the hospitality of the place, even if his fantasy Frank wasn't there.   
  
Once back on the boardwalk, he decided to call up Mikey. Hopefully only to see how Mikey and Alicia were doing with their house hunting, but knowing Mikey he'd wish to know nothing except all about Gerard's vacation even though it wasn't half over yet.   
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi Mikey-"  
  
"So?"  
  
Gerard sighed, the salty, somewhat fresh air hitting him in the face. "It's been fine here. Nice, even."  
  
"Told you," Mikey replied nonchalantly.   
  
Gerard chuckled. "Anyway, I wanted to ask how everything's going back at home?"   
  
"Goddamn Gerard, you've been gone not even three days and you're already worrying about stuff back here? Focus on living, dude."   
  
Gerard rolled his eyes, completely accustomed to Mikey's sarcasm. "Glad to know you miss me, Mikes."   
  
"You haven't sent that postcard you promised, you know."   
  
"I actually couldn't decide on one to send you. There are so many ones I've found, you know, because I'm actually going outside and stuff. Probably to your amazement," Gerard added after a second though.   
  
"So does this mean when I come visit before the school year starts you won't be stiff and trying to lint roll my jacket the entire time?" Mikey asked, an almost truthful tone in voice.   
  
"Yes, I promise," Gerard confirmed.   
  
By the time Gerard found his way back to his hotel room, he and Mikey had gotten onto the subject of why The Empire Strikes Back was better than Return of the Jedi. Listening to Mikey ramble on, Gerard fell back onto his bed, sighing softly to himself and wishing he could take a nap.   
  
"I need advice," Gerard mumbled during Mikey's speech, not expecting him to hear, and not expecting him to react, but instead he stopped short in the middle of his sentence saying, "Of course, what's up?"   
  
Gerard was slightly taken aback and felt his face darken as he thought over his words carefully. "Well, hypothetically, let's say I met someone here in Long Beach."   
  
"Alright…"  
  
"And, hypothetically, let's say it was a very attractive someone."  
  
"Where is this going, Gerard?"   
  
"Hear me out, okay? It's just hypothetical. Anyway, if that were the case, would it be idiotic for me to want to see them again, and even wait around in the place that we met? Because-"  
  
" _Hypothetically_ ," Mikey interjected, "I'd say that you should forget about it because you'll probably never see this person again, but since we're being completely hypothetical I'm going to say, just keep trying for it. Alright?" 

  
Gerard smiled to himself. "Yeah, yeah. But don't take anything from that, it's all-"  
  
"Hypothetical? What are you trying to say, Gee?" Mikey inquired.   
  
"Nothing, really. I'll call you later, Mikes."   
  
On the other end of the line, Gerard could hear Mikey laughing a completely knowing laugh. "Whatever you say, have fun."   
  
"Wait-" Gerard interjected suddenly.   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
Gerard kicked his shoes off, crawling up to sit against the headboard of his hotel bed. "Will you tell me the story of how you met Alicia again?"   
  
"Gerard, why the hell…" Mikey began before sighing heavily. "Alright."   
***  
Wednesday, the next day, was very similar to the previous, except that Gerard found the courage to venture off to the place he had been wanting to visit most: the beach.   
  
It was surprisingly empty, he noticed as he walked along the shore. There were numerous families and tourists lying and walking around, of course, but not near as many as there had been before.   
  
Either way, the day's beauty out passed all the beautiful things Gerard had ever seen before, and he'd seen a fair share of beautiful things. He thought the weather couldn't get any nicer, but it seemed that the salty breeze and warm sun were riding a roller coaster that was only traveling up. If yesterday was gorgeous, Wednesday was blissful. Gerard felt he could compare the feeling of walking along the beach and soaking up the atmosphere, feeling glowing sand brush against his bare feet and the gentle spray of the ocean against his face like receiving a back massage by the sun's rays or being serenaded by an ocean orchestra or the Long Beach breeze caressing his face like a polite, never ending fan, or maybe all three at the same time.   
  
Yet as he trod down the shore, daring to dip his feet to the very edge of the coastline where the waves washed up over every now and then, he couldn't rid himself of the odd pang in his stomach of- what exactly was it? He wanted to say it was loneliness, but that would be pathetic.    
  
Gerard wasn't sure where he was walking to. He passed young couples kissing on their beach towels and young children arguing over whether or not to put a moat around their sandcastle. Companionship, he decided, was essential for beaches, so he reluctantly made his way back to the boardwalk, where the atmosphere was much less glorious and inviting.   
  
And Anita's Coastal Café didn't have his back that day either.   
  
By Thursday, Gerard decided he should probably go to one of those art or fruit museums he had read about online, but instead he found himself back on familiar Pacific Way, dipping into random stores and purchasing little trinkets to bring back for Mikey.   
  
He didn't even try Anita's Coastal Café again. He guessed Anita's love for him only stretched so far before it broke. He supposed all good things had to come to an end at some point.   
  
By midday he retreated back to the familiar boardwalk and trod aimlessly, keeping his head down and walking very slowly. At least the grass below the boardwalk was green.   
  
That first pang of loneliness and almost disappointment that Gerard had felt when he first landed in Washington suddenly came crawling back under his skin like a parasite, eating away any pleasant memory he previously had of Long Beach.   
  
Perhaps Gerard was being over dramatic, but he did feel suddenly out of place as the midday turned to afternoon, and he was still plodding down Discovery Trail. In fact, he was so busy wallowing in his own self-pity that he didn't notice before he collided with another person walking top speed straight toward him.   
  
Gerard cursed under his breath and held himself steady as he quickly opened his mouth to apologise before seeing just which person he was so lucky as to run into, and suddenly he desperately wished that he was home. Frank was the last person he wanted to see.   
  
However, the situation was different in Frank's opinion. He had been typing angrily into his phone without looking where he was walking, and as soon as he saw Gerard, his beautiful eyes lit up.   
  
"Hey, you're the guy from the café!" he exclaimed, shoving his phone into his pocket in amazement. "What was it, uh- Gerard, right?"   
  
Gerard bit his lip and smiled. "Yeah, that's me." He stared at Frank with a blank expression, unsure of what the next move was supposed to be.   
  
Frank's smile didn't falter. "I'm sorry about running into you, by the way," he said quickly. "I totally wasn't looking, I didn't like, hurt you, did I?"  
  
Gerard chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm fine."   
  
"Great." Frank looked down at his watch for a second before straightening back up and saying, "Hey, we could catch up a bit if you want? I know it's only been a couple days, but I'm pretty interested in how your trip's been. I know this great coffee place near Anita's, wanna follow?"   
  
Gerard stared dumbfoundedly for longer than necessary but apparently Frank took that as an affirmative, because in less then ten minutes the two were sitting closely together in armchairs at Adelaide's Coffee. The building looked like a big, old house and the couple that owned the place were kind and friendly. The coffee house doubled as a bookstore, so large, comfy armchairs were placed in one area of the room with large bookshelves lining the walls.   
  
Gerard quickly got lost in the conversation, finding Frank so easy to talk to. Luckily, Frank didn't ask any personal questions about family or his hometown or anything like that. Instead, he was more interested in Gerard's opinion on things. The beach. The café. The boardwalk. The museums. The gift shops. So much to the point that Gerard couldn't keep track of what he was giving opinions on.   
  
Frank didn't talk much about himself, which only made Gerard want to know more but whenever he tried to ask a question, Frank somehow found ways to twist things around until Gerard was back to explaining his interests.   
  
They weren't even close to wrapping up the conversation when the owner of the store came up to them and told them it was closing time.   
  
"So if you're not busy, I know this really cool art gallery on Pacific Avenue that's open for another hour or so," Frank continued as they exited the café.   
  
"Really?" Gerard asked incredulously.   
  
Frank blushed. "I mean, if you had other plans that's fine, I just thought that-"  
  
"Oh, I didn't mean it in a bad way," Gerard said quickly. "I just thought you'd have gotten bored of me by now."   
  
Frank looked over at Gerard and met his eyes before laughing awkwardly.   
  
"'Course not. Anyway, so do you…"  
  
Gerard smiled and nodded before following Frank into the passenger seat of his car that was parked in the driveway where he had left it. Gerard never got a full explanation. As they drove south down Long Island, Frank continuously pointed out shops and restaurants that he claimed Gerard might like.   
  
The art gallery was called Campiche Studios and was filled with brilliant art, from paintings to sculptures to pottery, but if Gerard was being honest, he couldn't remember any of it because the entire time he found he  only had eyes for Frank.   
  
Gerard found himself back at his hotel room rather early that night due to the fact that Frank had to tend to some "emergency situations" around seven, forcing him to drop Gerard off at his hotel before speeding away. The rest of the night was blurry and uneventful, Gerard was pretty sure he slept the entire time.   
***  
Like nearly every other human on the planet, Gerard groaned at the sunlight streaming through the windows he forgot to cover when he woke up the next morning, except the initial annoyance soon melted away when he checked his phone and saw a text from his new favorite person.   
  
_From: Frank_  
_07:10_  
_Hey! I'm free today and wondered if you wanted to grab some coffee from Adelaide's at 8?_  
  
Gerard found himself smiling dumbly at the text. He buried his face in his pillow and sighed heavily before lifting his head to type out a reply.  
  
The clock stated that it was a quarter to eight, so he would hardly have enough time to take a shower, get himself situated, and walk all the way to the café. When he told this to Frank, the response he got was simply: "I can come pick you up."   
  
And that made Gerard smile a bit more.   
  
"Sorry I took so long," Gerard apologised hurriedly as he was buckling his seatbelt twenty minutes later. His hair was still fairly wet and his clothes had been tossed on in a hurry.   
  
Frank chuckled. "Yeah, five minutes, how late!" He looked over at Gerard, a smug little smirk on his face. "And how rude of you to keep me waiting. I say you pay me back somehow," Frank continued as he pulled out of the parking lot and drove them down the street.   
  
Gerard rolled his eyes. "We'll see."   
  
"We will. How did you sleep?" Frank questioned conversationally.   
  
Gerard shrugged. "I was fine. What about you? What secret mission are you on here in Long Beach? I'm curious."   
  
Frank blushed, and his face created probably the most attractive view Gerard had ever had the pleasure of being exposed to. "You really want to know?"   
  
"Yeah, I want to know. You've been so hesitant about telling me."  
  
Frank gave Gerard an incredulous look. "Oh course I've been hesitant about it, it was supposed to be a secret."  
  
"You're a terrible secret keeper, Frank," Gerard remarked.   
  
"Oh?" Frank laughed, turning the corner onto the main road. "Is that so?"   
  
"Yes it is, because you're going to tell me about it right now."   
  
Frank paused, a smirk playing on his lips for a few seconds before fading. "My friend is going to rehab here for drug abuse," he said, not taking his eyes off the road. "At a place called Klean. I'm keeping him company for a while until his sister can come and look after him."   
  
Gerard raised an eyebrow, surprised at how easily Frank had answered. Curiosity struck him suddenly. "Where's his sister been?"  
  
"In jail for the past few months," Frank replied indifferently, almost casually.   
  
Gerard nearly choked. "For what?"   
  
"Shoplifting. A really petty crime, in my opinion, but they didn't have money to pay the fine." Frank finished his sentence as they drove up to the quaint coffee house. He turned to Gerard and said, "But they're good people. I was a childhood friend. Anyway, let's go get that coffee."  
  
When the two were seated at a table with cups in hands, Frank rubbed his fingers over ringed stains set in the wood while Gerard watched quietly, contemplating what Frank had said to him. It was the most that Frank had revealed about himself so far, and how ever much Gerard was itching to know more, he knew he had gotten enough and needed to begin minding his own business again.   
  
"What do you do for a job then?" Frank asked, stirring his coffee absentmindedly with a spoon.   
  
"Funny you should ask that," Gerard chuckled to himself.   
  
"It is?" Frank raised an eyebrow.   
  
"Oh- I meant, uhm, never mind." Gerard blushed. "I teach art."  
  
Frank smiled. "Is that all you have to say about it?"   
  
Gerard's blush deepened. "I started teaching when I was in college. It wasn't even difficult to get the job either. Lots of schools are cutting out art nowadays, and it's such a travesty," he explained. "And it's not like being an artist or an art teacher pays particularly well, but I feel like every kid out there has some kind of artistic potential in them, it saddens me to think that they may never learn that simply because they never got to the chance to while in school, you know?"   
  
Gerard looked up at Frank in await of a response, but Frank was only staring at Gerard, his head propped up against his hand and a stupidly large smile on his face.   
  
"I'm sorry, Gerard," he mumbled, letting his eyes slip shut. "I'm kind of tired and I like the way you talk about art. You should tell me more," he added suggestively.   
  
Gerard smirked. "Why don't you tell me more about yourself instead?" he offered.   
  
"Because I'm not interesting."  
  
"And I am?" Gerard asked, almost a bit hopefully.   
  
Frank chuckled. "No, but the way you talk is."   
  
"So you're saying you don't like me, you just like my mouth?" Gerard asked disbelievingly.   
  
Frank raised his eyebrows and bit down on his lip. "Not exactly, but I definitely like your mouth in case you were wondering."   
  
"Oh?" Gerard wrapped his hands around his cup and took a long drink, revelling in the warmth that spread through his body. "Tell me more."   
  
"I guess I'm more compliant than you are, so I will. I like your nose and your little mouth, and your eyes look like mine, except more vibrant. And I like your views on artistry. And you're sort of cute, too. Is that good enough?"   
  
Gerard looked at Frank observably, not able to surprises his smile. "I think your coffee is getting cold," he responded simply.   
  
"My soul is so much colder than this coffee could ever get," Frank confirmed mock-defeatedly.   
  
Gerard chuckled. "Don't be such a downer. How old are you anyway, kid?"   
  
"Fuck you, I'm twenty-three," Frank replied, his chin rising indignantly. "What about you? I'm good at the age game. I'm guessing forty-five."   
  
Gerard rolled his eyes. "Close, but about twenty years too many. I'm twenty-seven."   
  
"Really? God, you're old."   
  
"Why don't you shut up and go change your diaper?"  
  
"Right after you crawl back into your coffin."   
  
Gerard smirked before finishing off his coffee and nodding towards Frank's. "You might want to finish that."  
  
Frank shrugged. "I might not. I didn't really want any coffee this morning."   
  
"Then why did you ask me to come here with you?" Gerard asked confusedly.   
  
Frank frowned, shaking his head softly. "Christ, you're old and you're dumb. It's because I wanted to hang out with you, idiot."   
  
"I'm glad you're comfortable enough with me now that you can insult me freely," Gerard remarked.   
  
"Good." Frank laughed. "I'll get plenty of chances to insult you today, then. Have you been to the cranberry farm yet down on 133rd?"  
  
"No. Why?"   
  
"Please stop acting so stupid, Gerard. You're making this worse than it needs to be," Frank whined.   
  
"'This?' What even is 'this,' Frank?" Gerard asked curiously.   
  
Frank tipped his head back and tapped his chin for a second. "I'm not sure, but for now we can consider this our first date."   
  
"Hmm…" Gerard mused. "I think I like the sound of that."   
  
The illusion of time broke in multiple instances throughout the day, since the morning and afternoon blinked by in an instant. Gerard only remembered roaming up and down rows of blueberry bushes with Frank, chasing Frank up and down rows of bushes…   
  
It was when Gerard suggested the two go back to his hotel room did the illusion dissolve the situation again back to default, and time seemed to pass more slowly, much more slowly.   
  
Gerard unlocked the door with his keycard, painfully aware of Frank standing right behind him. As soon as he pushed the door open, Frank paraded in as if he were the one renting out the space. God, he was so cute.   
  
"You need to make your bed, Gerard!" Frank exclaimed, gesturing over to the large unkept king against the wall.   
  
"Oh don't worry, I have maids that do that for me," Gerard assured, causing Frank to giggle before he walked over to the large windows and admired the view, his hands leaning on the windowsill.   
  
"Such a nice view," Frank sighed, gazing out at the beach longingly. "How different from the miserable little room that I've been staying in. Beautiful, beautiful view…"  
  
"Yeah, it really is a nice view," Gerard replied, but he wasn't commenting on what was outside the window. He made his way quietly over to Frank before placing his hands on Frank's hips and leaning in close.  
  
Frank jumped before catching on and leaning back ever so slightly against Gerard's chest.   
  
"You know we met only four days ago," Gerard whispered before dipping his head to press his lips against the skin behind Frank's ear.   
  
"Really? I wasn't keeping track," Frank mumbled before making a pleased noise and sinking back into Gerard's arms.   
  
"You're more of a local here than I am," Gerard breathed, barely audible.   
  
"And I don't kiss and tell," Frank said in reply before turning around in Gerard's arms before kissing him softly. Frank's hands slid up to find Gerard's chest and the time broke once more, completely in a standstill.   
  
Things heated up quickly, and soon enough Gerard was leading Frank over to the bed before letting him fall back onto it, the kiss breaking and allowing the two access to air again. Frank watched as Gerard climbed over him and brought their lips back together.   
  
When Frank noticed Gerard was keeping himself propped up against the bed, he smiled into the kiss and said, "You can lie down on top of me if you want," in a soft voice.   
  
Gerard raised an eyebrow. "You're asking me to flatten you with my excruciating weight?"   
  
"Fuck yeah I am. Come on, Gerard, I'm just trying to be romantic," Frank reasoned, gazing up at him with glossy eyes.   
  
"Well, what if I want you in ways that aren't romantic?" Gerard questioned innocently.   
  
Frank's smile widened as he wrapped his arms around Gerard's back and pulled him down forcefully so their chests were flush together, revelling in the little gasp emitted from Gerard's mouth. "You can have me any way you want me, but you won't get anything good unless you touch me," Frank replied matter-of-factly. "I don't bite. Unless you're into that. In which case I'll bite till I taste blood."   
  
Gerard giggled, placing a thigh between Frank's legs before using his knees to push them apart completely. "I'm not that intense. Let's shut up now," he suggested, earning a sharp nod from Frank before they resumed their passionate kissing.   
***  
Gerard didn't except to ever wake up in a Long Beach hotel room with a beautiful man in his bed with him, but on Saturday morning there he was, the sunlight peeking through the curtains and casting slivers of light over the bedsheets that covered himself and Frank.   
  
Frank was sleeping with his arms wrapped around Gerard's neck and their faces close. He awoke soon after Gerard did and smiled lazily before pulling away and rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm.   
  
"Are you going to get dressed and run away now like all the others?" Gerard asked indifferently, sitting up halfway to look over at Frank.  
  
"I wasn't planning on it. Why? Get a lot of one night stands during your sad little life?" Frank brushed his hair from his face and turned on his side with his back to Gerard, pulling the blankets up to his chin.   
  
"You have no idea." Gerard chuckled, musing. "I try my best to resist but how can I when I meet someone like you?"   
  
"Oh, shut up." Frank emerged from under the covers, sitting up fully and letting the blankets fall to rest at his waist. "Then I guess what differentiates me from all the others is that I actually like you."   
  
"I guess so," Gerard agreed.   
  
Frank smiled softy and glanced over at the digital clock on the bedside table behind Gerard, and  his eyes widened suddenly.   
  
"Oh my god, the time…" he mumbled, kicking off the sheets and getting up off the bed.   
  
Gerard looked at the clock confusedly before realising how late it was.   
  
"I'm sorry, Gerard. I'm not trying to run away but I really need to leave. My friend-"  
  
"It's okay," Gerard interjected. "My flight leaves in two hours and I have to drive all the way to Seattle so I need to be going as well."   
  
Frank paused, looking wide-eyed and surprised at Gerard. "Do you need a ride there?" he asked seriously, full of concern.   
  
"Oh no, a taxi is coming to pick me up soon," Gerard assured.   
  
"Okay." Frank quickly slipped on his shoes and picked up his keys from the bedside table before turning to fully face Gerard. "I uhm- I suppose this is goodbye?"   
  
"I suppose it is." Gerard shrugged.   
  
"Call me, yeah?" Frank asked hopefully.   
  
Gerard nodded, a small smile finding its way to his lips. "Definitely."  
  
Frank nodded, making his way over to the door, his hand pausing over the handle. He turned slightly and looked at Gerard one last time. "I had a really nice time with you yesterday. We'll have to do that again sometime. I don't know how, but we've got to."   
  
Gerard sighed, tipping his head to the side. "I agree. I'll just fly out here again and find you."   
  
Frank scoffed. "Go ahead, but you won't have an easy time 'cause I'm like a ninja, I swear. I'll- I'll see you." He waved a small wave which Gerard returned before the door opened and closed, leaving Gerard alone with only his thoughts of home.   
***  
Readjusting to life back in Jersey wasn't difficult. Though the entire plane ride back, Gerard leaned his head against the window and stared wistfully at the clouds, wishing that Frank was sitting next to him, it all - thankfully - slipped from his mind when the daunting reality of school came down upon him. It wasn't as bone breaking as he had dramatised it would be, but it still took up plenty of time and plenty of thought. Soon he was traveling to the school everyday to prepare his classroom and make sure everything would be set up for the first day.   
  
This meant that old and destroyed paints and brushes would need to be replaced, wet clay would need to be ordered, the towels in the cabinet would need to be washed or replaced, the chairs and tables would need to be dusted, the whiteboards would need to be bleached; in other words, Gerard's love affair at Long Beach completely vanished from his memory in the short month he spent getting ready for school again.   
  
The school would have two inservice days before school actually started, during which Gerard would usually just sit around in his classroom reading with the occasional trip to the lounge for coffee, laughing at the handful of teachers scrambling around to get things in order because they hadn't been smart enough to start preparing a week earlier.   
  
The meeting was always on the second inservice day, the meeting where everyone would be expected to dress smartly and receive any new information regarding staff or school policies from the superintendent and principal. Gerard usually sat in the back and fiddled with a pen, and this time was no different.   
  
He'd grown too accustomed to the meeting, and since nothing particularly interesting ever happened, it had become somewhat dull to him. A thorough repetition of all the regulations and customs and Gerard could get out of there and return home for a sleepless night of first day anxiety and anticipation.   
  
Gerard's head shot up as a certain sentence caught his attention.   
  
"As you all know, Beth will not be able to return this year to teach her tenth grade English class as she has moved to Vermont, so we have found someone to take over her position," the principal said unenthusiastically. He gestured to the crowd before a short man stood up from where he was sitting, in a place Gerard hadn't noticed him before, to stand in front of the room next to the principal.   
  
And oh, how Gerard's heart stopped.   
  
"I'd like to introduce you all to Frank Iero. He's a recent college graduate and a Belleville local, so some of you might recognise him."   
  
At those words, Frank looked directly at Gerard and winked.   
  
"And I hope you all will help Frank feel welcome here."   
  
Frank looked at the principal, smiling happily, and said, "Thank you, sir."   
  
When the meeting finally ended and the staff members began to file out the one door leading out of the meeting room, Gerard shoved his way through to catch up with Frank who was halfway down the hall by the time Gerard had made his way over.   
  
"Are you alright, Gerard? You look like you've seen a ghost," Frank commented, giggling.   
  
Gerard simply followed him into his classroom, waiting until the door was closed tightly before he gathered his thoughts into words. "I didn't know you were teaching. I didn't even know you lived in New Jersey."  
  
"You never asked," Frank replied, walking over to Gerard and grabbing ahold of his tie. "When am I getting that second date?"   
  
Gerard bit his lip but before he could formulate a response, Frank was laughing again and pulling away.   
  
"This is a nice classroom," he said, casting his gaze all around. "I think I'll have a nice time here. You know I never really saw myself ever teaching when I was younger."   
  
"Neither did I," Gerard said, suddenly finding himself able to speak again. "But you get used to it. It's a bit strange for a while, but it'll come naturally."   
  
Frank beamed. "That's great! And hey, since you're so skilled at the teaching stuff, you wanna look over my classroom and see if there's anything out of order? I don't want to seem inadequate before I even start."   
  
Gerard chuckled. "Sure thing, Frank."   
***  
There was a knock on the door, which Gerard had grown accustomed to. It was nearly five, so the school was mostly empty and Gerard was busy grading the first essay of the year, which most students usually failed because they never understood that art class was more than just drawing lines on paper.   
  
Gerard didn't bother to look up as the door opened and closed softly, the lock clicking along with it.   
  
"Mr. Way?"   
  
Gerard set down his pen and turned in his chair to face Frank, who was standing next to his desk, rocking back and forth on his heels. "What can I do for you, Mr. Iero?"   
  
Frank smirked, walking closer to Gerard before climbing into his lap and crushing their mouths together. This had become a regular occurrence for the two, since Gerard's desk was placed so that it wasn't visible through the window on the door, and a nice make out session was also a good way to release all the tension built up throughout the day of not being able to show any intimacy.   
  
Frank threaded his fingers through Gerard's hair and sighed contently before coming up for air. He smiled and gazed into Gerard's eyes, the only sound in the room being their breathing.   
  
"You interrupted my grading, Mr. Iero."   
  
Frank pouted. "I'm sorry. I myself had to finish grading papers before coming over here. I didn't assume you'd be busy. Is there something I can do to make up for it?"   
  
"Well, I know you've been quite busy throughout the past month or so with all your schoolwork, but I think that that second date of ours is overdue," Gerard replied.   
  
Frank's pout dissolved into another smile. "I was thinking the same," he said confidently. "What did you have in mind for it? I don't know of any cranberry farms nearby."   
  
"I was actually thinking that we could avoid all that bullshit and skip to the part where you come back to my apartment."   
  
Frank raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what makes you think that your silly little apartment will entertain me enough to keep me coming back?"   
  
"Well I've got lots of shitty movies we could watch and I've been searching lots of vegan recipes just for this occasion. I've got tons I'd like to try out."   
  
Frank chuckled, brushing the hair that had fallen on Gerard's face. "Then what the hell are we still doing here?" He climbed off of Gerard's lap and leaned against the wall, waiting for Gerard to pack everything away and follow him out of the room.   
  
It was later that night when the two were settled into the couch in front of the television in Gerard's apartment, wrapped up in each other and exchanging little kisses.   
  
"So tell me, how's the teaching life been doing you?" Gerard asked, stroking a finger down Frank's neck.   
  
Frank giggled and reached for Gerard's hand, holding it in his own. "It's fine. It's great. My students are pretty cool and really good at taking notes, so that's helpful."   
  
"Lucky you, most of my students can't tell the different between Pollock and Picasso."  
  
Frank pulled away, eyebrows furrowed together. "Really? How is that even possible?"   
  
"I told you, lots of people don't think art is important enough to learn and then don't even care to learn about artists themselves. It's so frustrating."  
  
"Oh, you poor thing. How 'bout you let me take care of that frustration for you?" Frank offered, smiling slyly.   
  
Gerard squeezed Frank's hand gently before letting go of it. "Bedroom?"   
  
Frank nodded and the two got up from the couch, Gerard leading the way through the living room with Frank not far behind, their fingers intertwined. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! Time for the obligatorily shameless self promo! talesofchemical.tumblr.com follow me if you like ^-^


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